Heinz & The Wild Boys



Henry George Schwartz aka "Heinz Burt" was born in Hargen Germany on July 24th 1942, to a German Father and English Mother. His family moved to England in 1945 and settled in Eastleigh, near Southampton.

In the late 1950's guitarist Graham Medley had been teaching him to play from scratch as he was hoping to join the backing group of local climbing stars The Nevitt Brothers. Heinz then formed a 'skiffle' group with him and pianist Norman Hale who'd earlier been with the Whirlwinds and worked as a lorry driver, distributing paint along the entire west coast and was stacking paint buckets onto shelves as a day time job.They called themselves The Stormers then The Falcons after the Falcon Square address in Eastleigh. They used to play pubs and usually wearing bedroom slippers as Al Kirtley recalls (see Dave Anthony). By 1960, they concentrated on American Rock 'n' Roll and Heinz apparently owned one of the first Fender bass guitars and bought by one of his girlfriends Jan who later married Ricky Storm. A 17 year old Pete Hunt replaced their original drummer Stan Hickman.

In Summer 1961, they had an audition for producer Joe Meek but had problems in getting up to London with all the gear by train and tube! Arrived in his studio, at 304 Holloway Road, North London, but rather late 7pm so told to go away. They persisted and eventually recorded some tracks but never released. Joe Meek immediately became infatuated with Heinz and he was the only one member of the band he booked.
In August 1961 Heinz was first lined up to join The Outlaws (Joe Meek’s in-house backing band) on bass - Chas Hodges was going to take over on lead guitar. As Hodges wanted to know what the new bass player was like (meaning as a musician) Meek replied, "Well, he's tall, quite good looking and very smart!" A week later, Hodges finally decided to come back to the bass and Heinz was slotted into a new Meek project, as bassist with The Tornados, a new house band to back his protégés, Don Charles and John Leyton.
Joe Meek was clearly obsessed with Heinz and advised him to dress distinctly from the rest of the band and to dye his hair blonde like the strange children in a science fiction movie. Reg Calvert, who was a trained hairdresser turned agent/manager, was required to do it.

In early 1962, The Tornados became the backing band for Billy Fury, replacing The Blue Flames who were too jazzy. As Fury wanted a keyboardist instead of saxophonists, Heinz rolled his mate Norman Hale into the band.
However Hale was quickly replaced by Roger Jackson.
After the failure of their debut single, “Love And Fury”, The Tornados followed with “Telstar”, which topped the charts on both sides of the Atlantic at the end of 62. It was a hit in 17 Countries worldwide and eventually sold five million copies.
In spite of this, Heinz was groomed for solo stardom by Joe Meek and then embarked on a solo career in early 1963. He was first due to star in the film ‘Farewell Performance’. Ironically, it was Chas Hodges who deputized for Heinz immediately after he left The Tornados and The Outlaws became his first backing band with Ritchie Blackmore on Lead Guitar. They had a summer season together with Arthur Askey in Rhyl after a British tour alongside Gene Vincent and Jerry Lee Lewis from May 6th to June 2nd. Heinz solo live shows were not a great success, especially on this tour in which he had a tough time from the mostly male audiences, some of whom threw “Heinz” baked beans at him.
Part of The Outlaws' management deal with Heinz included the financing of their new stage clothing, van and equipment and Blackmore got his red Gibson ES 335. He used it on Heinz’ second single, the Eddie Cochran tribute "Just like Eddie" which hit the British Top Five in September 63.

In the event, The Outlaws supported Heinz on his early discs (on Decca records) while The Saints – who originally worked with Andy Cavall as support act during the Tour headlining Jerry Lee Lewis and Gene Vincent - were requiered to back him on a series of package and variety shows. Put together by Tab Martin on bass (who replaced Heinz in the Tornados), Roy Philips on guitar and drummer Ricky Winters (ex-Cliff Bennett’s Rebel Rousers), this instrumental trio was named by Joe Meek and acted as house band on many of his recordings. They also released records in their own right. In February 1964, Heinz & the Saints took part of a Larry Parnes package tour alongwith Johnny Kidd & the Pirates and Joe Brown & his Bruvvers, then supported the Rollingstones during their 3rd British tour the following month.
Heinz appeared in 1963's "Live It Up", a film produced and directed by Lance Comfort about four Post Office workers who decide to form a band and record a demo. He performed two tracks including the title number with his band including David Hemmings as lead guitarist and Steve Marriott on drums. The movie revolves around the tape being lost and, after a series of madcap adventures, the tape is found again. The music was produced by Joe Meek.
In April 1964, Heinz moved to EMI Columbia with a new backing band,The Wild Ones, again with Ritchie Blackmore on lead guitar.
Heinz & the Wild Ones made their Live debut on Sunday May 10th 1964 at the inaugural night of the Beat City Club, Soho. The name changed to Wild Boys came in July when they discovered that another group with the same name recording for Fontana had just released a single “Bowie Man”. By this time Brian Woods replaced John Anderson on bass.

They were booked on a Christmas Pantomime season “Once Upon A Fairytale” starring Marty & Joyce Wilde and Lulu, planned to run from December 26th 1964 to January 23th 1965. However the show ended earlier, after the last show at Norwich on January 9th, the rest of performances were cancelled due to poor tickets sales and Ritchie Blackmore left the Wild Boys in February, to join Neil Christian & The Crusaders.
Barry Tomlinson took over him.

For 3 years, from mid 63 to mid 66, Heinz had released 11 other singles first on Decca then on Columbia, and scored 4 Top 50 hits, with "Country Boy" (#26), "You Were There" (#26), "Questions I Can't Answer" (#39) and "Diggin' My Potatoes" (#49). His final release "Movin’ In"/"I’m Not A Bad Guy" failed to chart and the group broke up going their own separate ways in late 66.
Heinz's recording career effectively came to an end with the death of Joe Meek. In fact, Meek blasted his landlady to death with a shotgun belonging to Heinz and then turn it on himself in February 1967. Later in the year, Heinz toured Devon and Cornwall backed by The Gass Company from South Ockenden, Essex.
Heinz carried on with a few live shows and various bands, culminating in a very successful show on the 1972 Wembley Show of Rock and Roll Legends alongside Bill Halley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, Little Richard and Screaming Lord Sutch…

By 1975, Heinz re-united with former Tornados, and they released a new version of “Telstar”. However another band from Southend used the same name and were actually gigging in Accrington at the same time: they were the backing band of Billy Fury who owned the rights to the name. Heinz then descended into cabaret work.

Later discs flopped and Heinz just faded back into obscurity living back in Eastleigh, eventually working at the nearby Ford factory.
His alcohol problems added to failing health and Heinz had been ill for about a decade since being diagnosed with motor neurone disease and was confined to a wheelchair. He appeared on 3rd February 1999 in London at a Joe Meek Appreciation Society gig alongside fellow former Joe Meek recording artist Screaming Lord Sutch.
His most recent press coverage was over a dispute with neighbours which almost went to court over the volume of the music he was listening to in his home in Southampton.
Aged 57, he died of a stroke on 7th April 2000, just a few weeks after his final sets at the Banister Ballroom in the Hulse Road Social Club, in Hampshire, and then at Bishops Waltham Club, near Southampton (according to Carol Smith), on 24th March, where he bravely managed a few great classic songs such as “Three Steps To Heaven”, “Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On”, and his biggest solo hit, “Just Like Eddie”.

Heinz & The Wildboys in 1967, photo courtesy Malvin Van Gelderen


Discography
Singles:Dreams Do Come True/Been Invited To A Party (Decca F 11652) - May 1963
Just Like Eddie/Don't You Knock At My Door (Decca F 11693) - June 1963
Country Boy/Long Tall Jack (Decca F 11768) - November 1963
You Were There/No Matter What They Say (Decca F 11831) - January 1964
Please Little Girl/For Loving Me This Way (Decca F 11920) - Spring 1964
Questions I Can't Answer/Beating Of My Heart (Columbia DB 7374) - September 1964
Diggin' My Potatoes/She Ain't Comin' Back (Columbia DB 7482) - Early 1965
Don't Think Twice/Big Fat Spider (Columbia DB 7559) - April 1965
End Of The World/You Make Me Feel So Good (Columbia DB 7656) - Mid 1965
Heart Full Of Sorrow/Don't Worry Baby (Columbia DB 7779) - Late 1965
I'm Not A Bad Guy/Movin' In (Columbia DB 7942) - June 1966

LP· “A Tribute To Eddie” (Decca LK.4599) - UK, 1964
· “Remembering” (Decca REM 7) - 1977



Various Line-ups of Heinz’s Bands

The Falcons (Eastleigh, 1959 - August 1961)
· Graham Medley (Lead Guitar/Vocals)
· 'Little Graham' (Rhythm Guitar/Vocals)
· Heinz Burt (Bass)
· Norman Hale (Piano)
· Stan Hickman (Drums)
· Pete Hunt (Drums)


The Outlaws #2 (August 1961)
· Chas Hodges (Lead Guitar)
· Reg Hawkins (Rhythm Guitar)
· Heinz Burt (Bass)
· Bobby Graham (Drums)


The Tornados #1 (September 1961 - February 1962)

· Norman Hale (Organ)
· Alan Caddy (Lead Guitar)
· George Bellamy (Rhythm Guitar)
· Heinz Burt (Bass)
· Clem Cattini (Drums)


Billy Fury & The Tornados (March 1962 - January 1963)

· Billy Fury (Lead Vocals)
· Alan Caddy (Lead Guitar)
· George Bellamy (Rhythm Guitar)
· Heinz Burt (Bass)
· Roger Jackson (Organ) "LaVern"
· Clem Cattini (Drums)


Heinz & The Outlaws (May - June 1963)
· Heinz Burt (Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar)
· Ritchie Blackmore (Lead Guitar)
· Ken Lundgren (Rhythm Guitar/Keyboards)
· Chas Hodges (Bass)
· Mick Underwood (Drums)


Heinz & The Saints (July 1963 - April 1964)
· Heinz Burt (Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar)
· Roy Phillips (Lead Guitar)
· Tab Martin (Bass)
· John Andrews (Bass)
· Ricky Winters (Drums)


Heinz & The Wild Ones (April - July 1964)

· Heinz Burt (Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar)
· Ritchie Blackmore (Lead Guitar)
· John Anderson (Bass)
· Dave Adams (Keyboards) "Burr Bailey"
· Ian Broad (Drums)


Heinz & The Wild Boys #1 (July - Late 1964)

· Heinz Burt (Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar)
· Ritchie Blackmore (Lead Guitar)
· Brian Woods (Bass)
· Dave Adams (Keyboards) "Burr Bailey"
· Ian Broad (Drums)


Heinz & The Wild Boys #2 (Late 1964 - January 1965)

· Heinz Burt (Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar)
· Ritchie Blackmore (Lead Guitar)
· John Davies (Bass)
· Dave Adams (Keyboards) "Burr Bailey"
· Ian Broad (Drums)


Heinz & The Wild Boys #3 (January - July 1965)

· Heinz Burt (Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar)
· Barry Tomlinson (Lead Guitar) then Ron Beynon
· John Davies (Bass)
· Dave Watts (Keyboards)
· Ian Broad (Drums)


Heinz & The Wild Boys #4 (August 1965 - Late 1966)

· Heinz Burt (Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar)
· Barry Franks (Lead Guitar)
· Malvin Van Gelderen (Rhythm Guitar)
· Cliff Franks (Bass)
· Trevor Franks (Drums)


Heinz & The Gass Company (Devon & Cornwall, August - September 1967)
· Heinz Burt (Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar)
· Martin Page (Lead Guitar)
· Jeff Archer (Bass)
· Bill Hurd (Keyboards)
· Mick Carroll (Drums)


The Original Tornados (1975)

· Roger Jackson (Organ) "LaVern"
· Alan Caddy (Lead Guitar)
· George Bellamy (Rhythm Guitar)
· Heinz Burt (Bass)
· Clem Cattini (Drums)
Also Doctor Feelgood in the early 70s



Special thanks to Graham Medley, Carol Smith, Malvin Van Gelderen and many others...
If you have any further information and want to contribute to this site, please email us at: tomusicstorytellers@gmail.com

Chris Sandford & The Coronets

Chris Sandford can be regarded as the very first soap star to hold down two careers simultaneously: becoming pop singer as well as actor. He appeared in TV's Maigret, No Hiding Place, Z Cars, The Persuaders, Dad's Army, The Liver Birds and Danger Man, as well as such films as Half A Sixpence, Deep End and Up The Chastity Belt.

Sandford was born 6th June 1944 in Wallasey, Cheshire but moved to London 2 years later.
He joined a band called the Tennessee Disciples until he attended an acting college where he met Mitch Mitchell, later drummer with the Jimi Hendrix Experience.
His theatrical background includes parts in The Kitchen, The Unexpected Guest. He first achieved notoriety as The Singing Milkman “Walter Potts” in television's soap Opera “Coronation Street”. The song he performed in the programme, "Not too Little, Not too Much" reached the 17th position in British charts in early 1964, as a result he became a real full time singer and needed a group to back him for live gigs and so The Coronets were formed around his friend Mitch Mitchell, on drums, and Norman Hale, the original organist of The Tornados. In February 1964, Chris Sandford & The Coronets went on the road, touring clubs such as The Bridgwater's Top Twenty which was packed for The Coronation Street star's visit. They then took part in the Roy Orbison’s British tour during April and May 1964 with Brian Poole & The Tremeloes, Freddie & the Dreamers, Wayne Fontana & the Mindbenders and Tony Sheridan & The Big Patrick Six. They also supported the Rolling Stones at Coventry about that time. In fall 1964, 14 year old drummer Eric Dillon replaced Mitch Mitchell who joined The Riot Squad, a R’n’B band assembled by producer Larry Page.

During 1965, Chris Sandford had a six-week stint as a DJ on the pirate station “Radio Caroline” where he was originally employed in the sales department. He then went into the A & R field and became the manager of the band which reverted to a quintet and used the old name of "The Lively Set". Sandford produced their debut single “Don't Call My Name”, released in July 1965 on Pye. They appeared on TV, 'Five O'Clock Club' and also backed American rocker Gene Vincent.

In September 1965, The Lively set toured the Storyville clubs in Germany alongwith Neil Landon & The Burnettes, which featured Noel Redding on guitar. Mitch Mitchell eventually returned to the fold because Eric Dillon was under age and couldn’t work there with the band. Kevin Lang, bass player with The Burnettes, recalls: “The first time we met Eric Dillon was in Frankfurt. He was only 14 years old and the band smuggled him into Germany under the seats of their van, he was under age and did not have a work permit. No one ever found out and he stayed in Germany quite a while.”
Dillon and keyboardist Norman Hale were briefly enlisted in The Burnettes a few time before they broke up.
Mitchell finally left the group and joined Georgie Fames & The Blue Flames, and Eric Dillon became the permanent drummer until The Lively set split up in 1966. Dillon re-united with Noel Redding in a new group, 'Fat Mattress', 3 years later.

Chris Sandford cut two other singles for Decca and Fontana labels, including a Bob Dylan spoof called “I Wish They Wouldn't Always Say I Sound Like The Guy From The USA Blues.” He then concentrated on his acting career.
During the 70s, Chris Sandford continued to make records and was backed by his Friendship then The Rag 'n' Bone Band.


Terry New, lead guitarist of The Coronets
"The Coronets was formed to back a TV actor called Chris Sandford who was then appearing regularly in a popular Soap Opera on UK TV - "Coronation Street". In the programme he was a singing window cleaner who wanted to become a recording artist. He made a record called "Not Too Little Not Too Much" which was quite sucessful at the time and got quite high in the UK Charts. He needed a group to back him for live gigs and so the Coronets were formed. Mitch was a friend of Chris Sandford, they met at an acting college.
The Coronets never recorded under that name and when the Chris Sandford & The Coronets gigs ended we recorded as The Lively Set with Chris Sandford as our recording manager."



Discography

Chris Sandford

Singles:
Not too little, Not too Much / I'm Lookin (Decca F 11778) - November 1963
You're Gonna Be My Girl/Don't Leave Me Now (Decca F 11842) - February 1964, with The Coronets
I Wish They Wouldn't Always Say I Sound Like The Guy From The U.S.A. Blues/Little Man, Nobody Cares (Fontana TF 633) November 1965

LP
A little bit off the top


The Lively Set

Singles:
· Don't Call My Name/What Kind Of Love (Pye 7N 15880) - July 1965

[Let The Trumpets Sound/The Green Years (Capitol CL 15472) - 1966
is from a different band from the USA]


Various Line-ups of Chris Sandford & The Coronets/The Lively Set

Chris Sandford & The Coronets #1 (Early - Late 1964)
  • Chris Sandford (Lead Vocals)
  • Terry New (Lead Guitar/Vocals)
  • Tony Cartwright (Rhythm Guitar/Vocals)
  • Dave Glasspool (Bass)
  • Norman Hale (Keyboards)
  • Mitch Mitchell (Drums)


Chris Sandford & The Coronets #2 (Late 1964 - Mid 1965)
  • Chris Sandford (Lead Vocals)
  • Terry New (Lead Guitar/Vocals)
  • Tony Cartwright (Rhythm Guitar/Vocals)
  • Jim Kent (Bass)
  • Norman Hale (Keyboards)
  • Eric Dillon (Drums)


The Lively Set #1 (Mid 1964 - Late 1965)
  • Terry New (Lead Guitar/Vocals)
  • Tony Cartwright (Rhythm Guitar/Vocals)
  • Jim Kent (Bass)
  • Norman Hale (Keyboards)
  • Mitch Mitchell (Drums)
  • Chris Sandford (Manager)


The Lively Set #2 (Late 1965 - 1966)
  • Terry New (Lead Guitar/Vocals)
  • Tony Cartwright (Rhythm Guitar/Vocals)
  • Jim Kent (Bass)
  • Norman Hale (Keyboards)
  • Eric Dillon (Drums)
  • Chris Sandford (Manager)

If you have any further information and want to contribute to this site, please email us at: tomusicstorytellers@gmail.com

Neil Landon & The Burnettes

Photo of Neil Landon & The Burnettes in Germany, Mid 1965, courtesy Kevin Lang Left to right: Kevin Lang, Noel Redding, Neil Landon, Alan Dickenson and Pete Kircher.

The Burnettes were a Folkestone-based group fronted by singer Neil Landon, who enjoyed fleeting fame as a member of The Flowerpot Men with Carter-Lewis’ "Let's Go To San Francisco" in 1967. The band also featured other British luminaries such as drummer Pete Kircher aka “Pete Carter” later of Honeybus and Status Quo during the 80s, bass player Jim Leverton later of Savoy Brown, now with Caravan, and above all Noel Redding, the third man in the Jimi Hendrix Experience.


Neil Landon was born Patrick Cahill in Kirdford, Sussex, England, on July 26th 1941.
He had worked as a ship's carpenter then started singing in a semi-professional The 'Rolling Stones' from Dover (no connection with the later famous band of the same name) in October 1960 before fronting another kentish outfit the 'Cheetahs' from Ashford under the name of "Pat Barlow" from 1961 to 1962. They performormed a rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” on Southern Televisions talent show ‘Home Grown’ in early 1962.
In summer 1962, he was singing in London with The Thunderbolts and first teamed up with Noel Redding, who was then lead guitarist in another Folkestone-based group called The Lonely Ones.

By September 1962, adopting the name “Neil Landon”, he and the remaining Cheetah Mick Allen joined Folkestone band The Lonely Ones who eventually became “The Burnettes” as they were offered some prototype Burns Bison guitars after visiting the Burns guitar factory.
Mick Allen, who was originally intended as guitarist of the band along with Noel Redding, recalls: “The band was formed about September 1962 when Pat Cahill from 'Pat and The Cheetahs' joined with Noel Redding, Pete Kircher and Bob Hiscocks from 'The Lonely One's.' I also played a few gigs with them at the start but didn't want to give up the day job at that time to travel with the band!
The band went under the 'Lonely One's' name at first. Then when, they visited the Burns guitar factory and came away with new prototype Burns Bison guitars and changed the name of the band to the 'Burnettes.' I believe they did some form of a deal getting the guitars cheap for using the name!”

The first gig was at the American Airforce Base at West Malling in Kent. The band was going down very well during the gig and they were well supplied with cans of ‘Heineken’ beer. After the second gig, Mick Allen and original bass player of The Lonely Ones John Andrews, who were both in apprenticeships, decided to leave the band. They went on to join Pat Barry & The Travellers and Bob Hiscocks switched from Rhythm Guitar to bass.

In April 1963, Mick Allen joined the band on guitar as a replacement for Noel Redding who put a new set of Lonely Ones together.
Mick remembers that he first joined them not as a permanent member: “The band started working for Jack Fallon's 'Cana Variety Agency' and getting gigs all over England until about April 1963 when Noel Redding decided to leave. I was asked to help out at a gig at Swindon. I was originally just doing a few gigs until the band had replaced Noel. However they talked me into staying.”

After the departure of Bob Hiscocks who also joined up The Daltons, The Burnettes worked the remainder of the year without a bass player, and carried on with keyboardist Mel Simpson from London playing the bass riffs on the organ pedals.

During this period, they toured around England and Scotland, supporting acts such as The Searchers, The Barron Knights and The Rolling Stones who used their amps! To move with the times, and like so many British bands in the wake of the Beatles, the group moved to Germany where they acquired considerable musical refinement in the course of engagements lasting weeks and even months in Frankfurt, Cologne and Duisburg clubs.

In January 1964, they were booked to play the Storyville Club in Frankfurt, near to the American base… and finally enlisted a fifth member: Kevin Lang from Manchester on bass.

Mick Allen:
“The owner of the club, Jon Marshall, insisted we had five in the band, so being as we were playing for a couple of weeks in the Manchester area, we auditioned and enlisted the very capable Kevin Lang on bass. Incidentally, Kevin’s brother Bob was the bass player with Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders.”

This stay in Frankfurt had been a rigorous apprenticeship in spite of unsanitary living conditions.
“I remember when we played the Storyville in Frankfurt from 1st February to 31st March 1964 that we stayed in The Hotel City. This was about 200 metres from the Storyville. The Hotel was a typical 'English band' dump! Myself and Neil were in a ground floor room that looked as if it was converted from a storeroom. The room had no heating and we had the same sheets on the beds for the whole two months we were there. This didn't matter because we would just collapse into bed exhausted after the long hours!… We played from 20.00 to 01.00 every day excepting Saturday when we had to play until 03.00... We also had to play a 2 hour matinee in the afternoon on Saturdays and Sundays.”

“Our music in early 1964 was a mixture of some of the late 50's Rock'nRoll, perhaps the odd Cliff Richard song, lots of Beatles type stuff and some R&B. By 1964, if you were up to date you were incorporating a Hammond organ into the band and getting into the R&B music such as played by Georgie Fame!”

Neil Landon & The Burnettes released no record during the 60s however they made some recordings that later appeared on a LP called “Neil Landon and The Burnetts live at The Storyville, Koln in 1964.” This record compiled, in fact, various recordings the band made since their first trip to Germany.

“There are 9 songs we recorded [at a studio] in Frankfurt in 1964 as a demo for Marshall Chess of Chess records in Chicago who came to see us at the Storyville club. He had wanted us to record a cover of 'High Heeled Sneakers', however, we were so popular at the Storyville that the boss man asked us to stay for another month! Consequently, by the time we returned to London Chess Records had released the original version of 'High Heeled Sneakers' by American singer, Tommy Tucker.
There is also a recording that was made at the Storyville Club in Cologne and recorded by a member of the audience in June 1964. The song is 'Bye Bye Johnny' and was sung by Pete Kircher the drummer.”

At the end of June 64, Mel Simpson decided to stay in Germany with a beautiful blonde called Elka from Frankfurt, and joined a German band but without the Hammond organ because it was still being paid for by The Burnettes!

When the band returned to the UK, they tried another organist who only played with them at The Hous Da Musika in Wuppertal for the last two weeks of July 64, but he wasn't up to the standard required and eventually the Hammond was sold and they reverted to a four piece band.

At the end of August 1964, Mick Allen, who'd had enough travelling about, announced he was leaving the Burnettes and Noel Redding returned on guitar. Mick later formed a Kentish outfit called The 'Shades of Black'. Among the first gigs of his new group was a jam session with Neil Landon & The Burnettes at the Hillside Club in Folkestone in April 1965. Incidentally, the Hillside Club was the venue of another jam session on 31st December 1966. The band that new year’s eve was Folkestone band ’The Circuit’. Jamming with them was Noel Redding and none other than Jimi Hendrix!

By May 1965, the band returned to the Storyville in Germany and they enlisted a new keyboard player Alan Dickenson for a short while. There was a bit of disagreement within the band about the scale of their pay while in Marburg and Dickenson was the first to leave followed shortly by Kevin Lang and Pete Kircher in late July.
At the end of Summer 1965, they were respectively replaced by Norman Hale, Jim Leverton, and Eric Dillon. Leverton was formerly bass player with the 'Big Beats' from nearby Dover. Hale was the original organist with The Tornados, and Dillon had previously been in Chris Sandford & The Coronets alongside him.
Incidentally, Eric Dillon had been enlisted in The Coronets as a replacement for another very young drummer: Mitch Mitchel who is also rumoured to have been brought in The Burnettes.
Alan Dickenson would later play on Dave Carlsen’s “Death On A Pale Horse” in January 1973, alongwith Noel Redding and Keith Moon.

Neil Landon and his new set of Burnettes went back to Germany for another month, supporting the Mersey beats. Tom Jones, who was also touring there after landing his first hit. 'Its not unusual', even had to share a flat with some of them! However as Eric Dillon was under age, Pete Kircher eventually returned to the fold. But shortly thereafter, Neil Landon decided to pursue a solo career and the band split up.

In late 1965, Noel Redding, Jim Leverton and Pete Kircher teamed up with singer Derek Knight to become the core of The New Lonely Ones briefly before deciding to call themselves The “Loving Kind.”

Meanwhile Neil Landon recorded an album with Sheila Boddicott aka “Sheila Deni”, female vocalist of the Black Diamonds from Midlands, then got to know the songwriting/producing team of Carter–Lewis, who helped him out to launch his debut single for Decca records, before joining the Ivy League which would become The Flowerpot Men.

Prior to joining the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Noel Redding teamed up with the Folkestone-based Concords who backed him for a tour of the north as the new Burnettes.

When Noel Redding decided to leave the Jimi Hendrix Experience by 1969, he embarked on a solo project that reassembled with his old friends: Neil Landon on vocals, Jim Leverton on bass and Eric Dillon on drums. During sessions at the Olympic Studios they agreed to expand the project into a group: 'Fat Mattress'. The band toured the US as warm-up for the 'Jimi Hendrix Experience'...

Then, in October 1970, Landon & Redding formed 'Brain Police', a band that reassembled with keyboardist Norman Hale. Incidentally, Norman Hale and Kevin Lang had both auditioned with Jimi Hendrix in the early days.

Neil Landon kept fronting various bands, while in Germany, from Mid 1980s to present such as The Klaus Gerlach’s Undertakers, The Neil Landon Band and more recently The Neil Landon Five…



Discography

Neil Landon & The Burnettes
· “Neil Landon and The Burnetts at live at The Storyville, Koln in 1965” - LP

Neil Landon
· 'Waiting Here For Someone' / 'I've Got Nothing To Lose' (Decca F 12330) - February 1966
· 'I'm Your Puppet' / 'I Still Love You' (Decca F 12451) - August 1966

Fat Mattress
· Naturally/Iridescent Butterfly (Polydor 56352) - August 1969
· Magic Lanterns/Bright New Way (Polydor 56367) - 1970
· Highway/Black Sheep Of The Family (Polydor 2058 053) - 1970



Various Line-ups of Neil Landon’s Bands

The Rolling Stones #3 (October - Late 1960)

· Ronnie Hambrook (Lead Vocals)
· Patrick Cahill (Lead Guitar/Vocals) "Neil Landon"
· Johnny Smith (Rhythm Guitar/Vocals)
· Bob Hopkins (Bass)
· Brian Scotcher (Drums )

Pat Barlow & The Cheetas #1 (Early 1961 - June 1962)

· Patrick Cahill (Lead Vocals) "Pat Barlow"
· Mick Allen (Lead Guitar)
· Mick Startup (Rhythm Guitar)
· Geoff Playford (Bass)
· Buster Osmonds (Drums)

Pat Barlow & The Cheetas #2 (June - August 1962)

· Patrick Cahill (Lead Vocals) "Pat Barlow"
· Mick Allen (Lead Guitar)
· Mick Startup (Rhythm Guitar)
· Geoff Playford (Bass)
· Ian Spratt (Drums)


The Thunderbolts (August 1962)

· Patrick Cahill (Lead Vocals) "Neil Landon"
· Noel Redding (Lead Guitar)
· Teddy Wadmore (Bass)
· ?? ?? (Drums)

The Lonely Ones #4 (September 1962, only the first 2 gigs)

· Patrick Cahill (Lead Vocals) "Neil Landon"
· Mick Allen (Lead Guitar)
· Noel Redding (Rhythm Guitar)
· Bob Hiscocks (Rhythm Guitar)
· John Andrews (Bass) "Andy"
· Pete Kircher (Drums) "Pete Carter"


Neil Landon & The Burnettes #1 (September 1962 - April 1963)

· Patrick Cahill (Lead Vocals) "Neil Landon"
· Noel Redding (Lead Guitar)
· Bob Hiscocks (Bass)
· Pete Kircher (Drums) "Pete Carter"


Neil Landon & The Burnettes #2 (April 1963 - January 1964)

· Patrick Cahill (Lead Vocals) "Neil Landon"
· Mick Allen (Lead Guitar)
· Mel Simpson (Keyboards)
· Pete Kircher (Drums) "Pete Carter"


Neil Landon & The Burnettes #3 (January - August 1964)

· Patrick Cahill (Lead Vocals) "Neil Landon"
· Mick Allen (Lead Guitar)
· Kevin Lang (Bass)
· Mel Simpson (Keyboards)
· Pete Kircher (Drums) "Pete Carter"

Neil Landon & The Burnettes #4 (September 1964 - July 1965)

· Patrick Cahill (Lead Vocals) "Neil Landon"
· Noel Redding (Lead Guitar)
· Kevin Lang (Bass)
· Alan Dickenson (Keyboards)
· Pete Kircher (Drums) "Pete Carter"


Neil Landon & The Burnettes #5 (August - October 1965)

· Patrick Cahill (Lead Vocals) "Neil Landon"
· Noel Redding (Lead Guitar)
· Jim Leverton (Bass)
· Norman Hale (Keyboards)
· Pete Kircher (Drums) "Pete Carter"
· Eric Dillon (Drums)
· Mitch Mitchell (Drums)???


Fat Mattress #1 (June - December 1969)

· Patrick Cahill (Lead Vocals) "Neil Landon"
· Noel Redding (Lead Guitar)
· Jim Leverton (Bass)
· Eric Dillon (Drums)


Fat Mattress #2 (December 1969 - October 1970)

· Patrick Cahill (Lead Vocals) "Neil Landon"
· Steve Hammond (Lead Guitar)
· Jim Leverton (Bass)
· Mick Weaver (Keyboards)
· Eric Dillon (Drums)


Brain Police #1 (October - Late 1970)

· Patrick Cahill (Lead Vocals) "Neil Landon"
· Chris Mayfield (Lead Guitar)
· Noel Redding (Bass)
· Norman Hale (Keyboards)
· Les Sampson (Drums)



The Burnettes Without Neil Landon

Noel Redding & The Burnettes (North England Tour, Summer 1966)

· Noel Redding (Lead Guitar/Vocals)
· Barry Viles (Rhythm Guitar)
· Mike Tordoff (Bass) "Tinker"
· Bob Piper (Drums)


Some gigs of Neil Landon & The Burnettes
Debut gig at the American Airforce Base at West Malling in Kent, September 1962
Cellar Club, Kingston on Thames. 12th September 1963: supporting The Rolling Stones
California Ballroom, Dunstable. 4th January 1964: supporting Shane Fenton & The Fentones
The first month at The Storyville Club, Frankfurt, from February 1st 1964: first gig with Kevin Lang
The second month at The Storyville Club, Frankfurt, from March 1st 1964
The first month at The Storyville Club, Koln, from June 1st 1964
Die Hause de Musik, Wuppertal. July 1st 1964: last gig with Mel Simpson
Die Hause de Musik, Wuppertal. 13th July 1964: with an unknown organist


For more on Neil Landon & The Burnettes, see
http://www.kentgigs.com/musicbiz/Bands.html
http://www.kentgigs.com/musicbiz/Mick%20Allen%2020%20years%20band%20history.htm
http://www.youtube.com/user/oldaxeman

with special Thanks to Mick Allen, Chris Ashman, Claire Davies, Norman Hale, Kevin Lang and Mick Morris
sorry for people we would have forgotten

Bobbie & The Dominators

Photo of  The Dominators at Trinity Hall Hounslow, early 1961, courtesy Bob Danks Left to right: Terry Maybey, Bob Danks, Alan Dunklin and Ritchie Blackmore. Behind poster of their gig at Radlett Masonic Hall, on Saturday July 15th 1961


This London-based Rock’n’Roll outfit evolved out of a Skiffle group called The Vampires, formed in early 1958 by four pupils at the Chiswick County Grammar school: washboard player Alan Dunklin, tea chest bass player Mick Catherwood, banjo player Dave Ronay and guitarist Roger Mingay. Skiffle was a form of folk music played on accoustic instruments only.

In Summer 1958, Mingay eventually moved to The Satellites and would later join Screaming Lord Sutch & his Savages. His replacement was a 14 year old Ritchie Blackmore (later of Deep Purple and Rainbow) who went to a different school and had earlier been with the 2 I's Coffee Bar Junior Skiffle Group, playing the Dog Box. He actually attended with them a national skiffle competition at the 2I's. Legendary Big Jim Sullivan teached him to play guitar. Blackmore and another fellow school pal Bob Danks on guitar were drafted in the band and recommended by Alan Dunklin who lived two doors away from Blackmore in Ash Grove, Heston. Incidentally when Roger Mingay went to audition for the Savages in May 1961, Ritchie Blackmore was among the other guitarists who applied for the post but Mingay was deemed more experienced and got the job. Ritchie Blackmore would eventually undertake several stints with Screaming Lord Sutch between October 1962 and May 1967.
His real introduction to playing live in front of an audience as well as his first "paying"gig was at Twickenham Kings Head on the eve of Christmas 1958.* About that time he was an aircraft radio technician at London Airport.
Blackmore first owned an Hofner Club 50 then purchased a cherry red Gibson ES835 guitar, identical to the one Chuck Berry used. Changing their musical style, and gradually progressing to fully electric guitars, the band became the "electric" Vampires then changed name to the “Dominators” after the Watkins Dominator amp and the Norton Dominator motorcycle.**

Ritchie Blackmore was insistent on having a (non guitar playing) singer. After several singer changes e.g.Tony Parsons, “Bobbie” Danks became the lead vocalist but Blackmore was not happy with a four-piece and Barry Lovegrove was drafted in.
The band secured a residency in Twickenham, supplementing this with work at weddings and youth clubs, where they’d play rock’n’roll standards such as Vince Taylor’s "Brand New Cadillac" and Shadows numbers. *** Blackmore rolled his former schoolmate, drummer Mick Underwood (later of Quatermass), replacing Clive Buckie for a short while. Underwood was fired for being too loud and joined the Satellites, teaming up with Roger Mingay.

Disappointed at failing the audition for The Savages, Ritchie Blackmore continued working at the Airport, and playing with the Dominators until they finally broke up in the Summer of 1961, before joining Mike Dee & The Jaywalkers. He was drafted in through drummer Terry Maybey who had occasionally stepped in the Dominators when neither Buckie nor Underwood were available. Blackmore went professionally and made his first ever recording - My Blue Heaven - for the Decca label with them.
"Screaming Lord" Sutch used to come and watch The Dominators play during their last months on the recommendation of Mingay.
“It was pure coincidence that two ex members of The Vampires played for Dave Sutch, plus the close proximity of all concerned…” says Bob Danks.

After the demise of the Dominators, Barry Lovegrove joined up a band called Dave Dean & The Cruisers Combo;
Terry Maybey joined James Royal & The Hawks; and Bob Danks became the vocalist of The "Four Sounds" who used to play the Station Hotel Richmond at the same time as the Rolling Stones and took over a regular slot from The Who when they became famous.


Bob Danks
*… “Our first "paying"gig was at The Kings Head in Twickenham and it was on Dec 24th 1958.”
Over time,influenced by "Rock & Roll" and becoming more proficient with our instruments we gradually progressed to fully electric guitars and drums instead of washboards for percussion. We then left skiffle behind.
**“The Vampires became the "Electric Vampires" then because Ritchie [Blackmore] had a Watkins Dominator amp. and I had a Norton Dominator motorcycle we changed the name !”
“When we first started The Dominators we had a policy of"whoever learned an instrumental first" played it on stage. As I was at work and able to buy quite a few records to learn quickly I often played lead with Ritchie [Blackmore] on rhythm,then suddenly his ability to pick up solos just took off at a tremendous rate and I just could not compete.I carried on with rhythm and vocals…
Although I did most of the vocals we were always trying new singers. Tony Parsons was one of these.He then got a job which kept him away and not able to get to every gig so he left. This became frustrating as I was still doing most of the vocals so I dropped rhythm and we got Barry Lovegrove in as rhythm,although he was very good and occasionally played lead.”
*** “…The Dominators however used to feature "Brand New Cadillac" in our set and it was always a compliment when people used to say that we did it better than Vince's Playboys. That was due to Ritchie already having started to become quite wild with his playing not my vocals !!”


Some appearances of The Vampires and The Dominators

Debut gig of The Vampires at the Kings Head, Twickenham on December Thursday 24th 1958
Bank Holiday gig at GEC Sports Pavilion, on Monday August 3rd 1959: Billed as “The Dominators Swing Group”
Trinity Hall, Hounslow, early 1961: Terry Maybey stepped in on drums.
Masonic Hall, Radlett, Saturday July 15th 1961: Billed as “Bobbie & The Dominators”, one of the last gigs
Last gig at the White Hart Pub, Southall, July 1961



Various Line-ups of The Vampires and The Dominators

The Vampires #1 (Early - Late Summer 1958)
· Roger Mingay (Lead Guitar/Vocals)
· Dave Ronay (Banjo)
· Bill Piper (Tea-Chest-Bass)
· Alan Dunklin (Washboard)


The Vampires #2 (Late Summer 1958)

· Bob Danks (Rhythm Guitar/Lead Vocals)
· Ritchie Blackmore (Rhythm Guitar)
· Dave Ronay (Banjo)
· Mick Catherwood (Tea-Chest-Bass/Vocals)
· Alan Dunklin (Washboard)


The Electric Vampires #3 (December 1958 - June 1959)
· Bob Danks (Rhythm Guitar/Lead Vocals)
· Mick Cartwright (Rhythm Guitar/Vocals)
· Ritchie Blackmore (Lead Guitar)
· Alan Dunklin (Bass)
· Clive Buckie (Drums)

The Dominators (June - December 1959)
· Tony Parsons (Lead Vocals)
· Bob Danks (Lead & Rhythm Guitar/Vocals)
· Ritchie Blackmore (Lead & Rhythm Guitar)
· Alan Dunklin (Bass)
· Clive Buckie (Drums)
· Mick Underwood (Drums)


Bobbie & The Dominators (1960 - July 1961)

· Bob Danks (Lead Vocals)
· Ritchie Blackmore (Lead Guitar)
· Barry Lovegrove (Rhythm Guitar)
· Alan Dunklin (Bass)
· Clive Buckie (Drums)
· Terry Maybey (Drums)


Special thanks to Bob Danks for the photos, posters and his recollection

More about Winston G: Fox & Whip

Winston Beresford Gawk or Gork aka "Winston G", was a suntanned singer with indian roots who starded out as a solo act, first under the moniker “Johnny Apollo”, in the early 60s.
Throughout the decade, he was backed by various bands: The New Premiers, The Purple Hearts and "The Wickeds", renamed "The Winston G Set"...
In late 1967, The Winston G Set transformed itself into Fox dabbled with psychedelic rock, and with a new bass player called Chris Jones (not related to the Brummie lead guitarist with The Chucks and The Way Of Life). Bobby Graham produced their release "Bye Bye Baby", issued on Decca towards the end of the year. Their stage act caused some raised eyebrows up and down the country. Their schedule took them on a tour of Europe, particurlarly in Germany where they became very popular.
"Hey! Mister Carpenter", released on the CBS label, in April 1968, was a number written by Nicky James with ex-Traffic man, Dave Mason guest-starring on sitar. It’s very poppy with a repetitive chorus and some catchy guitar. The 'B' side, "Seek And You Find" is much heavier.

Pete Beckett, formerly with The Thoughts, joined up the band as a new bass player.
Topham played his final gig with them at The “Middle Earth Show”, at the Roundhouse Chalk Farm, London, alongside The Who and The Blossom Toes, in early October 1968. He then decided to revive and further cement his long friendship with Tony ‘Duster’ Bennett. The following month, The Fox performed at the Lafayette club, in Wolverhampton with a new member: Huw Lloyd-Langton (1), a 17-year-old guitarist that Winston G met at the Giaconda Coffee Bar, Denmark Street. In late 1968, another band started using the name Fox, so they changed their name to The Whip.
They worked mainly in Germany and Holland for 6 months, playing the army bases.

Pete Becket went on to do a short stint with the band World of Oz before concentrating on his solo career and then eventually going to USA where he formed the band "Player". Original drummer Tony McKintyre also left to manage his model wife who was Miss England at the time.

In 1969, Syd Gardener became new bass player and John Lingwood the drummer. They went back to Germany and Holland for more intense fun and games, a few months. They then returned to England, and the group broke up going their own separate ways.
Winston G ended up staying in Holland.
Huw Lloyd-Langton went on to form Hawkwind with Dave Drock.
After taking a break, he relocated to Germany where he spent time in a band that featured John Lingwood. Lloyd-Langton and Lingwood then returned to the U.K. where they formed Amon Din with Dave Anderson and John Butler. John Lingwood would later beat the skins for various great acts such as Steamhammer, Brian Auger´s Oblivion Express, Manfred Mann Earth Band, The Rocky Horror Show, Roger Chapman & The Shortlist ect.


(1) Huw Lloyd-Langton
“Also whilst I was working there I used to go down to Denmark Street for lunch at the Giaconda, where all the musicians used to hang out for coffee. I was sat there one day when this very star looking person sat down beside me and asked if I was a musician, and when I said I played the guitar he asked me if I wanted a gig. I arranged a time for the following week to go for a blow. His name was Winston G., Winston Gork his real name was, and he had a band called Fox. This would be in 1966 or so. We didn't put any records out. Somebody else started using the same name in 1967 so we had to change our name to The Whip.”

“Me and another guitarist turned up for the audition. I think I got the job because of my image. The other guy was equally good if not better - I can't remember his name though. Being in the band was a complete waste of time as it turned out, but it was probably a good apprenticeship. We spent most of our time flat broke in Europe, playing the army bases. All I cared about was that I was on the road with a band. Eventually it just totally fell to pieces - Winston ended up staying in Holland and I ended up returning to my old stomping ground in Denmark street.”


Discography of Fox

Singles:
Hey! Mister Carpenter/Seek And You Find (CBS 3381) - April 1968 as Fox


Various Line-ups of Winston G’s Bands

Fox (Late 1967 - October 1968)

· Winston Gork (Lead Vocals) "Winston G"
· Tony Top Topham (Lead Guitar)
· Chris Jones then Peter Beckett (Bass)
· Tony MacIntyre (Drums)


The Whip #1 (October - Late 1968)

· Winston Gork (Lead Vocals) "Winston G"
· Huw Lloyd Langton (Lead Guitar)
· Peter Beckett (Bass)
· Tony MacIntyre (Drums)


The Whip #2 (Late 1968 - Mid 1969)

· Winston Gork (Lead Vocals) "Winston G"
· Huw Lloyd Langton (Lead Guitar)
· Syd Gardiner (Bass)
· John Lingwood (Drums)


Special thanks to Ronnie Harwood, Tony “Top” Topham, Huw and Marion Lloyd Langton